Clemson offensive coordinator Chad Morris and Texas A&M offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury are “right at the top” of Texas Tech’s list of football head-coaching targets, a source said Monday.

“They’re both getting close scrutiny,” the source said.

Tech was plunged into a coaching search Saturday when Tommy Tuberville unexpectedly resigned to take the top job at Cincinnati, which had a 9-3 regular season and earned a share of the Big East Conference title.

Both Morris, 44, and Kingsbury, 33, might have to convince athletic director Kirby Hocutt their shortage of experience is not an obstacle. The fact neither have long-term college coaching resumes, let alone college head-coaching backgrounds, might be a concern.

“I think it is, more so with Kliff than (Morris),” the source said. “The biggest concern with Kliff is no head-coaching experience ever and with Morris only head-coaching at the high school level.”

A second source indicated Morris might interview with Tech on Monday, though it’s unclear whether any contact took place. TheClemsonInsider.com quoted Morris on Monday saying he had not received an interview or an offer from Tech.

Baylor coach Art Briles, who was a Tech assistant from 2000 to 2002 and has a long coaching pedigree in Texas, also has been mentioned as a potential target, but the first source said the chances of his being the next Red Raiders coach “are slim.”

Briles just signed a contract extension at Baylor, and the Bears are scheduled to open a scenic new stadium in 2014. Baylor is a private school, so Briles’ contract details aren’t subject to open records laws, but he is believed to have a costly buyout for any school that wants to hire him.

Asked what might stand in the way of Tech hiring Briles, the source said, “I think just everything.”

Morris and Kingsbury appear to be the two focal points, at least at the beginning of the search. Nationally, Texas A&M ranks third and Clemson ninth in total offense, with Kingsbury’s unit averaging 552.3 yards per game and Morris’ bunch averaging 518.3.

That’s a little ahead of Tech, which averages 501.4 for 12th in the nation.

Both enjoyed the benefit of having star quarterbacks this season, Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel in Kingsbury’s case and Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year Tajh Boyd in Morris’ camp.

Kingsbury, a former Tech quarterback, didn’t get into coaching until 2008, after his playing career ended. But he’s gaining attention after he mentored marquee quarterbacks each of the last two seasons. Manziel became the first freshman to win the Heisman, and in 2011 Kingsbury served as co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Houston, watching Case Keenum throw for FBS bests of 5,631 yards and 48 touchdowns.

That Houston team finished 13-1, and A&M is 10-2 going into the Jan. 4 Cotton Bowl against Oklahoma.

Morris was born in the northeast Texas town of Edgewood, graduated from Texas A&M and had a record of 169-38 as a head coach in Texas high schools. His head-coaching stops were at Eustace (1994-97), Elysian Fields (1998-99), Bay City (2000-02), Stephenville (2004-07) and Austin Lake Travis (2008-09).

He coached teams to state-championship games six times, winning three: at Bay City in 2000 and at Austin Lake Travis in 2008 and ’09.

At the latter stop, Morris coached Michael Brewer, the Tech redshirt freshman quarterback who is the heir apparent to senior Seth Doege.

He got into college coaching in 2010, serving one year as offensive coordinator at Tulsa before getting hired at Clemson. The 2010 Tulsa team ranked fifth in total offense (505.6 ygp), and the 2011 Clemson offense set school records for yards per game (440.8) and points (470).

Staff writer Nick Kosmider contributed to this report.

To comment on this story:

don.williams@lubbockonline.com

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Kliff Kingsbury — Texas A&M offensive coordinator

The New Braunfels, Texas, native was a record-setting quarterback at Texas Tech (1998-2002) under Mike Leach’s offense and is currently the offensive coordinator for No. 9 Texas A&M (10-2). Kingsbury followed Texas A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin to A&M from the University of Houston, where Kingsbury served as co-offensive coordinator in 2010 and offensive coordinator in 2011.

Kingsbury took over as the Red Raiders starting quarterback for the final game of his freshman year. He would go on to start three years for the Red Raiders and set 39 school records, 13 Big 12 records, and seven NCAA records en route to 12,429 career passing yards and 95 touchdowns. He won the Sammy Baugh Trophy his senior year for the nation’s best collegiate passer. In 2002, he was also named Verizon Player of the Year, and Associated Press’ Offensive Player of the Year

Kingsbury was drafted in the sixth round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. He spent the 2003 and 2004 seasons with the Patriots and also spent time with the Saints, Broncos, Jets, and Bills.

Kingsbury’s coaching career began when he accepted the position of quality control at the University of Houston in August 2008. Former Texas Tech offensive coordinator, Dana Holgorsen, who was an assistant during Kingsbury’s career, was the offensive coordinator at Houston at that time. When Holgorsen left for the offensive coordinator job at Oklahoma State in 2010, Kingsbury assumed the role as co-offensive coordinator and would assume the full role as OC the following year.

In his first season at Texas A&M. Kingsbury Aggies currently have the 14th best passing offense, 13th best rushing offense and third best scoring offense.

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Has a way better chance of uniting the fan base that Coach Pinocchio did. I think it will be Morris. And he might be good. Kingsbury will be good but the idiot administrator probably wont approve of anybody who played for coach x. He already looks like an idiot for the Tuberville hire. Morris, actually both have connections in Texas, which we'll need since Texas gets recruits first, usually. A&M was more forward thinking than Texas Tech in getting a competent coach (they have better leadership) and is now in position to actually beat Texas to recruits. So we'll be competing for third tier recruits. So, once again we'll need a coach that is talented enough to win with players they, OU, OSU, Notre Dame, Kansas State, Arkansas etc, etc, etc dont want. We used to have a coach that was a little better than average at that. The coach we just "lost" that we hated anyway couldnt win with good recruits, of course that was the former coach's fault who had been gone for three years. Skeptical, you ask? Gee I dont know. After the last three years, why would I be skeptical?

The new coach at Tech will require the following language in his contract:

1. The Administration and Regents and Inner Circle must honor the terms and provisons of Texas Tech's agreement with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to wit: Said suspects must stay away from athletics.

2. Any "complaint" pertaining to any member of the coaching staff must be submitted to a one-man special committee that considers such information--Delwin Jones.

3. A firing of any coach without cause requires an immediate $50,000,000 payment to said coach. A performance bond must be purchased.

4. The entire contract for each coach, regardless of number of years remaining on said contract, must be paid up front.

5. In the event it is discovered that any Administration official contacts Dicky Grigg in any manner, a $50,000,000 payment must be paid and divided pro-rata among coaches. A performance bond must be purchased.

The hottest head coaching prospect in the nation is a graduate of Texas Tech University. The only way he doesn't come to Tech is if we are once again victimized by the the dishonesty and lying methods employed by Hance and the despicable men (not women) who shamed our program and all Tech grads, students, and friends of Texas Tech in 2009. That is to say that if these snakes inform Mr. Hocutt that said Tech grad will not be offered the job, then there is no place these people can hide.

Morris got run out of Stephenville, too much BS. He is on record stating he wants to quit football. He is all about the bling bling that you can get when you look at the greener grass across the fence, and he is an Aggie who, if successful at all, will jump ship and hoist one finger one day while wearing red and black, and hoist another finger another day wearing another color.

My only regret with the loss of Tuberville is that there's not room on the plane for Hance!

Tech and Lubbock would be much improved if Tubby would take Hance with him to Cincy. Sorry, nobody wants Hance so he won't go!

But, looking forward, Kingsbury is the future. Yes, Kliff is young, but he's one year older than Darrel Royal was when Royal became Head Coach at UT and Royal seemed to have done OK.

Take a chance on Lubbock and take a chance on Tech. Kingsbury has already coached the nation's #1 QB and a Heisman Trophy Winner. Sure, there might be a Heisman Premium to hire Kingsbury now, but Tech will reap the benefits for many, many years into the future.

I offer the financial justice thought below only because my guess is Hance does not read these comments and has others prepare the talking points for DW to polish into articles. The last thing I want Hance to appreciate, lest he muck this up too, is how much raw glee there is with a lot of Tech fans that Kliff Kingsbury, a Dykes find and a Leach mind, will be our long term football coach free from the politics of old. If not, then the ego and lunacy will continue, and folks like the spin puppets will continue their lost career-integrity agenda for extra $$$ security.

But when they do sign up Kliff, at least a portion of the money can be viewed as the money they still owe Leach. Who knows, maybe Kingsbury and Leach can go bear hunting in Alaska together over the years on Kliff's dime until at least there is some financial justice. Since a lot of coin is involved, maybe Kliff could take Leach shopping for some of those GQ clothes he wears.

be sure to structure your contract to protect yourself from his chancellorship. All bonuses are payable at qualification for a bowl. All claims against the HC will be considered innocent until PROVEN guilty in a court of law and discipline will occur only after all appeals have been exhausted by both sides.

Tech is hurting for respect and for a united fan base. Maybe you could throw Leach a bone and demand his $800k be paid before you consider your offer. We could all receive everything we need to bring back Honor and Integrity and reunited the fans so we once again have the greatest home field advantage back in our pocket!!!!!

Give Thomsen a shot at the head coaching job. Why is everyone so enamored with Morris and Kingsbury when neither one has ever led a program? Say what you want about ACU being a D2 program, Thomsen was there for seven years, won 61 games and attracted a ton of talent. He's a great recruiter and would be able to put together a great staff around him. Everyone gets caught up in the head coach, but the key is what kind of staff can you build? What kind of staff can Kingsbury put together? He's only been coaching 5 years and, at 33, can he command the kind of respect that a head coach needs and demands? I guarantee you that Thomsen can do that. Coaching is his passion. If he gets a shot at the job, he will not fail.

What if UT had not hired DKR because he was an Oklahoma grad and former quarterback of the Sooners?

So what if a coach comes in here and creates what Leach did and then leaves. We will be in a much greater position then we are now! AND it proves that good coaches can succeed at Tech. That would make his replacement a much easier job. Who knows, maybe Graham Harrell might be available then.

West Texas fans traditionally want someone familiar with the barren territory. Kingsbury spent five years here. He knows what he's getting into. Truth is, why would we ever consider another rehab like Petrino? (he is out thank God) Did we not learn our lesson from Bob Knight, Tommy Tubberville, and Billy Gillespie? We act like step children. We have no confidence. 7-6 season is good to us. Come on folks. We're a major Big 12 school. We need to demand the best and demand championships or let's get out of this conference and join the likes of WT A&M.

Everyone should look at Chris Thomsen's resume, pretty impressive to say the least. He made things happen every place he's been,
like Cliff K. but he doesn't have have the resume of Chris, I'm sure he will at some point but we need someone now and fast...let's just don't just get a name that is unproven!!!

Kliff Kingsbury has a job as Offensive Coordinator and he is coaching this year's Heisman Trophy Winner! Texas Tech has one job to offer Kliff Kingsbury - Head Coach. Kliff Kingsbury is the Man for that Job. If Texas Tech wants to hire Kliff, they need to offer Kliff the job, now.

Playing around with an assistant's job will not interest and should not interest Kingsbury. Be real in your expectations. Where would you rather be Offensive Coordinator?

Let me describe what the next HC should look like.
It should be someone with more than 4-5 years of experience. It should be someone that knows, lives and breathes the Air-Raid. It should be someone that was part of setting NCAA, divion and school records where he coached on offense. It should be someone that coached on an offense that delivered a #1 QB draft pick. Does any of this sound familiar? You bet it does.

It should be someone that can build Tech for the Air-Raid . It should be someone that learned the Air-Raid directly from Hal Mumme himself. It should be someone that coaches all over the nation, including Sonny Dykes, consult with about their offenses. "Look we know who this guy is and he ain't comin' back."

This guy learned the Air-Raid at Kentucky standing right next to Hal Mumme, Sonny Dykes and yes Mike Leach too. This guy became the OC at Kentucky when Leach left for Oklahoma. This guy was fired in the middle of his first season at Auburn by Tubberville who "walked" out later that year. This guy's HC just left for CAL(Sonny Dykes).
This guy is Tony Franklin.

Yet all of this goes out the window because most people want Kingsbury wether he is ready or not. Those people are willing to put Kingsbury's career and legacy at Tech on the line instead of waiting.

"Double K" to "Double T"? I'm in! That would mean another episode of "As Tech Turns" will finally be over...(organ music)...will (old coach) find happiness in (new location)? And will (new coach) succeed or fall flat on his face? Tune in tomorrow...